The Newness of Christian Love
Our love must consistently reexamined.
The season of Lent begins tomorrow on Ash Wednesday. These Jesus Daily readings will continue working through John with no real special emphasis on Lent until Holy Week. But if you are looking for something to go a bit deeper during the whole of the Lenten season, I commend to you Renewal: Journey to the Cross. For more about Lent, see the introductory post from last year.
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When Judas was gone…
This is a difficult part of the story of the early Christian community and it offers a word to us today — one that is not easy to receive.
Sometimes people leave the fellowship. We can still love them. We still hope and pray for their return. But we cannot pretend or ignore the reality that they have chosen something other than Christ’s way. It has ramifications in that whatever role they filled now needs other provision (note Acts 1:16-26).
But sometimes the work of Christ can’t continue on until that dark spot is removed from the situation. So, when Judas was gone… Jesus continued on the mission.
The “newness” of his commandment isn’t all that new, is it? Perhaps Jesus’ wording isn’t that the idea of loving each other has never before been taught (it has), but that in this context, it is “new.”
That’s interesting to think about, isn’t it? We must re-examine our love for one another as the times and situations change. If we pretend that our love for one another is the same as it was a year, ten years, or twenty years ago, we are failing what love is.
Love is a daily choice to stick with someone. This can actually be a natural and easy thing to do. But sometimes it is not.
…as Jesus points out to Peter.
John 13:31-38
When Judas was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Human One has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify the Human One in himself and will glorify him immediately. Little children, I’m with you for a little while longer. You will look for me—but, just as I told the Jewish leaders, I also tell you now—‘Where I’m going, you can’t come.’
“I give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you also must love each other. This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other.”
Simon Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, where are you going?”
Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you can’t follow me now, but you will follow later.”
Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I’ll give up my life for you.”
Jesus replied, “Will you give up your life for me? I assure you that you will deny me three times before the rooster crows.
Psalm 86:11-13
Teach me your way, Lord, so that I can walk in your truth. Make my heart focused only on honoring your name. I give thanks to you, my Lord, my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify your name forever, because your faithful love toward me is awesome and because you’ve rescued my life from the lowest part of hell.
Prayer
God,
Thank you for this new day. With a new day comes new experiences, new understandings, new joys, and new challenges. Help me to consistently remain in your love today.
By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.